Chapter 148
The very next day, the members of the Sunwoo family set out for Gae Yang Gate.
The group consisted of the Sunwoo siblings—Sunwoo Seong, Sunwoo Jin, and Sunwoo Yeonha—along with Je Gal Seo-yul and Je Gal Ji-yong from the Je Gal family, plus about thirty warriors.
Je Gal Seo-yul was riding in a carriage with Je Gal Ji-yong, Sunwoo Seong, and Sunwoo Yeonha.
Originally, Sunwoo Jin was supposed to ride with them, but he had insisted on running outside to show off how much he’d improved on the battlefield.
It was no surprise that Sunwoo Seong and Sunwoo Yeonha shot him disdainful looks.
“Je Gal, I know all the best places to eat near Gae Yang Gate. I’ll take you to taste heavenly flavors you won’t find anywhere else,” Sunwoo Seong said eagerly.
“Yes, I see,” Je Gal Seo-yul replied half-heartedly to Sunwoo Seong’s nonstop chatter from across the carriage.
It was awkward being stuck between the overly cheerful Sunwoo Seong and the gloomy Sunwoo Yeonha, whose expression looked as if she were being dragged to a slaughterhouse for some unknown reason.
‘Should I just say I want to run outside too?’ Je Gal Seo-yul thought, glancing out the window.
And there was Sunwoo Jin.
Lately, it seemed like he was always somewhere within her line of sight, as if he were deliberately lingering nearby.
But Je Gal Seo-yul knew better than to believe that.
‘It’s not that he’s lingering…’
She shook her head sharply, unwilling to admit the truth.
‘A pathetic man who hides his true strength just to avoid fighting his brothers, playing the loser. A rude man who treats the Je Gal family and me like some kind of outcasts. A dark-hearted man whose schemes I can’t even begin to understand.’
Fueling her resentment, Je Gal Seo-yul glared at Sunwoo Jin’s back.
Sunwoo Seong noticed her expression and asked with concern, “Je Gal, you don’t look well. Is the journey wearing you out? Just hang in there—we’re almost there.”
Startled back to the moment, Je Gal Seo-yul feigned fatigue. “A little tired. I’ll need some rest once we arrive.”
Sunwoo Seong nodded with a hint of disappointment. “Of course. When you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to the best restaurant.”
Je Gal Seo-yul silently resolved to keep up the act. She was already regretting coming to Gae Yang Gate, falling for Sunwoo Jin’s provocation.
By the time No Jo-song, the vampire master of the Blood Sect, arrived near Gae Yang Gate, the Sunwoo family’s group had just entered.
Standing atop a hill overlooking the gate, No Jo-song addressed his five elite warriors and over thirty Blood Sect fighters who had followed him.
“Remember the Master’s orders. The man named Sunwoo Seong of the Sunwoo family must be killed. But under no circumstances are you to harm the girl, Sunwoo Yeonha. Understood?”
“Yes! Understood!”
One of the Blood Sect’s top fighters cautiously asked, “Then… what about the others?”
No Jo-song’s face twisted into a greedy grin. “The others? Heh heh heh, that’s a strange question. Since the Master didn’t mention them, do as you please. Heh heh heh.”
The Blood Sect warriors all laughed greedily.
“Heh heh heh, as expected of the Demon Lord.”
“It’s an honor to fight alongside you, Demon Lord.”
No Jo-song scoffed at their flattery. “Hmph, don’t get too excited. I’ll be drinking the best blood myself.”
“Heh heh heh, we’re more than happy to feast on whatever scraps you leave behind.”
No Jo-song was a legendary martial master with over ninety years of internal energy cultivation, renowned as a peerless vampire master.
But he was more famous for his appetite than his martial prowess.
He was a true bloodsucking vampire master—so addicted to blood that he couldn’t eat a meal without it.
Imagining the feast ahead, No Jo-song wiped the drool from his lips.
“Heh heh heh, I hope there’s plenty of delicious blood. Come on, everyone, let’s eat!”
“Wooooah!”
The Blood Sect warriors roared as they charged toward Gae Yang Gate like wild beasts.
“Aaaargh!”
“Ughhh!”
KABOOM!
The screams of agony and the explosion of the main gate happened almost simultaneously.
At that moment, the gate master of Gae Yang Gate was lined up with his warriors in the training ground, just about to welcome the Sunwoo family’s group.
Startled, he shouted, “We have honored guests here! What is this commotion?!”
But No Jo-song and the Blood Sect warriors who calmly strode through the shattered gate ignored him, their smiles dripping with murderous intent.
Realizing the intruders’ hostility, the gate master ordered his hundred or so warriors, “How dare you break through our main gate! All Gae Yang warriors, seize those fiends!”
“Yes, sir!”
A thunderous chorus of voices echoed as the warriors charged forward.
“Heh heh heh, dinner time!” No Jo-song licked his blood-smeared lips, watching the scene with amusement.
The Blood Sect fighters pounced like wolves on a flock of sheep.
“Kill them all!”
Though Gae Yang Gate wasn’t part of the Gui Zhu Eight Generals, it was the strongest sect in the Gui Zhu region, boasting a hundred elite warriors known as the Black Five—considered among the finest fighters in the martial world.
But against No Jo-song, his five elite warriors, and over thirty top-tier Blood Sect fighters, they were nothing but disorganized prey.
No Jo-song swung his tiger-claw strike into the enemy ranks.
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Splatter!
“Ughhh!”
“Gahhh!”
The gate master’s face turned to stone as five warriors were severed in a single blow.
Their bodies were so mangled it was impossible to tell if they’d been sliced or crushed.
Then, holding a dripping severed arm, No Jo-song calmly brought it to his mouth to drink the blood.
From behind him, five elite warriors burst through the Black Five’s ranks.
Splatter!
“Gahhh!”
Slash!
“Ughhh!”
It was a massacre.
Like five wolves tearing through a flock of sheep.
And it didn’t end there.
While the five elites slaughtered their way through, thirty more Blood Sect warriors crashed into their flanks.
Splatter!
“Gahhh!”
“Ughhh!”
Watching the carnage, the gate master’s face drained of all color.
This was a one-sided slaughter.
At this rate, the entire Black Five would be wiped out in moments.
But the gate master didn’t dare intervene.
He knew all too well that, without reaching the pinnacle of martial arts, he couldn’t handle even one of them.
Trembling, he muttered, “W-where on earth did these people come from…?”
As the gate master stared in despair, the Sunwoo family’s group was equally stunned by the sudden chaos.
Sunwoo Seong, their leader, was at a loss, muttering in disbelief, “W-what is going on here?”
At that moment, Je Gal Ji-yong, the elder of the Je Gal family and the strongest among them, whispered with a pale face, “Could that be… the vampire master?”
His eyes were fixed on the furry man calmly tasting blood from the corpses amid the massacre.
The yellow-and-black fur, the towering frame, the tiger-like eyes, and the way he savored blood like a delicacy—it had to be No Jo-song, the Blood Sect’s vampire master.
Je Gal Ji-yong urgently called out to Sunwoo Seong, “Sunwoo, what are you waiting for? Order your warriors to attack! They’re vampire masters of the Blood Sect! Hurry!”
Startled, Sunwoo Seong quickly gave orders, “Y-yes?! Right! Sunwoo warriors, what are you waiting for? Go support the Black Five!”
“Yes, sir!”
The Sunwoo warriors didn’t want to crawl into a certain death, but the enemy’s overwhelming skill had them frozen in fear.
Still, unable to refuse orders, they hesitantly stepped forward.
Meanwhile, Je Gal Ji-yong sent a secret message to Je Gal Seo-yul.
— Seo-yul! Listen carefully! While they’re buying time, we have to get out of here immediately!
Je Gal Seo-yul looked at him in shock.
Telling the Sunwoo warriors to fight while they alone escaped was beyond anything she could accept.
“Yes, yes?! B-but!”
She was so shocked that she spoke out loud instead of using telepathy.
But Jegal Jiyong sent another telepathic message, urging her on.
— You, the precious jewel of the great Jegal family, and I, an elder, cannot be on the same level as these others! If we don’t get out quickly, we’ll lose our chance! Hurry!
At his urging, Jegal Seoyul instinctively glanced around, searching for Sun Woojin.
She was subconsciously worried about how he would react if she did something reckless—after all, he already harbored doubts about the Jegal family.
But as she looked, a sudden realization hit her.
He was gone.
Sun Woojin’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
‘W-what?!’
No matter where she looked, he was nowhere in sight.
He had already fled without a word.
“Hah!”
She let out a bitter laugh, utterly dumbfounded.
The very person who had been talking about masterminds and accomplices had abandoned his family and comrades in an instant?
The disappointment was so overwhelming it almost felt like despair.
Just then, Jegal Jiyong shouted urgently.
“What are you waiting for, Seoyul? Hurry…!”
Startled by his roar, Jegal Seoyul snapped back to focus.
But it was already too late.
“Kuhahaha! What a damn pretty girl!”
A blood cultist lunged at her.
The iron whip he wielded radiated a crimson aura—he was a top-tier master.
“Yiik!”
Jegal Seoyul gritted her teeth and kicked out.
Swoosh!
A sword shimmering with jade-green energy clashed against the cultist’s iron whip.
Clang!
“Ho?! Top-tier, you say?!”
The cultist, who had tried to break her sword and seize her in one swift move, wore a look of surprise.
But that was only on his face; his iron whip whipped through the air like a gale, attacking her again.
Calmly, Jegal Seoyul unfolded her sword technique.
The Eight Formation Sword Style, First Move: Declaration of Battle.
Swoosh!
Chak-chak-chak-chak-ching!
The jade-green sword energy formed a near-impenetrable wall, blocking every one of the cultist’s fierce attacks.
Though lacking in flashy offense, the Jegal family’s Eight Formation Sword Style was renowned throughout the martial world for its unyielding defense.
The cultist, despite having all his attacks repelled, burst into wild laughter.
“Uhehehehe! This is fun, so fun! Let’s keep playing!”
He swung his iron whip at Jegal Seoyul again—but he was soon cut down.
Pwahak!
“Gyaaaah!”
Jegal Jiyong’s surprise attack from behind had turned him into a lifeless corpse.
Jegal Jiyong shouted again, urgency thick in his voice.
“Seoyul! Hurry…!”
But once again, his plea was in vain.
“Eeehya!”
“Die, old man!”
Two other top-tier masters charged at Jegal Seoyul and Jegal Jiyong respectively.
“Hah!”
“How dare you!”
Chak-chak-chak-chak-ching!
Though the cultist had been a top-tier beginner, Jegal Jiyong was one of the Jegal family’s elite, having surpassed eighty years of internal energy cultivation.
It wouldn’t take him long to kill a single top-tier beginner like that cultist.
Pwahak!
“Gyaaaah!”
Having easily slain the reckless cultist who charged him, Jegal Jiyong turned back to look at Jegal Seoyul.
She was locked in a fierce battle with another top-tier cultist, twin blades flashing in her hands.
“Haaah!”
“Eeehya!”
Chak-ching! Chak-chak-ching! Chak-ching!
Jegal Jiyong hurried to assist her.
They had to escape this place together.
But just as he lunged toward her, a chilling sensation brushed the back of his neck, forcing him to dodge backward.
Pak-bak!
In the next instant, something massive crashed down where he had just stood.
Kraaaang!
The ground beneath Jegal Jiyong exploded outward like a bomb.
Swallowing hard, he looked toward the source of the blast.
A burly, shaggy man had created a huge crater with a single strike—it was none other than the Bloodsucking Demon Lord, No Josong.
Though he had seemed distracted by tasting blood, he had come to face Jegal Jiyong himself.
No Josong lifted his head from the crater, a greedy smile spreading across his blood-stained mouth.
“Heh heh heh, quite a strong old man. Even if you’re old, your blood must taste pretty good.”
“…No Josong.”
Jegal Jiyong gritted his teeth.
He couldn’t believe the enemy had come all the way here.
This was a disaster.
Of course, Jegal Jiyong was one of the Jegal family’s top experts, having surpassed eighty years of internal energy cultivation.
But his opponent was on a different level.
No Josong was a monster approaching the peak of the peak.
‘I need help from someone…’
Jegal Jiyong’s eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.
First, he spotted the warriors of the Gaeyang Sect and the Sunwoo family, who looked like they were moments away from annihilation.
The Gaeyang Sect leader, its elders, and Sunwoo Seong were all fighting desperately, but none seemed likely to survive.
Then his gaze shifted again.
Aside from himself, the only other peak-level warrior was Jegal Seoyul, locked in a fierce stalemate with another top-tier cultist.
There was nowhere to turn for help.
Jegal Jiyong’s heart grew more desperate.
‘Then I have to find a way to escape…’
But even that was impossible now.
Glancing behind him, he was shocked.
Two cultists had already positioned themselves at his rear, grinning wickedly.
‘When did they get here?!’
Both appeared to be peak-level masters.
They were clearly blocking his retreat.
Jegal Jiyong realized there was only one choice left.
He had to fight and defeat the Bloodsucking Demon Lord right in front of him.
He stared at No Josong with hopeless eyes.
The demon smiled wickedly and asked,
“Have you exhausted all your options? Then, shall we taste your blood?”
No Josong’s gaze was like that of a predator eyeing its prey.
Jegal Jiyong felt a chill run down his spine.
But despite not having fought much recently, he was still a master with over eighty years of internal energy cultivation—an elder of the Jegal family.
He knew that if he lost momentum, he would never win.
Clenching his teeth, Jegal Jiyong shouted,
“You beast! I’ll show you the sword of the Jegal family!”
And he launched himself forward, attacking first.
“Hah!”
Swoosh!
But his all-out sword strike collided head-on with No Josong’s iron claw.
Thud!
Jegal Jiyong’s sword was violently knocked away in the opposite direction.
It rebounded with the force of hitting a soft leather ball.
At that moment, the tide of battle turned.
Though Jegal Jiyong’s sword had been knocked away, No Josong still had another arm free.
As his right hand was pushed back, No Josong swung his left iron claw immediately.
“Uahahahaha! Take this too!”
Whoosh!
“Ugh!”
In a direct clash between masters with similar techniques, retreating was forbidden.
It would only give the opponent momentum and leave oneself trapped within their attack range.
But Jegal Jiyong had no choice but to step back.
There was no other way.
No Josong’s iron claw attacks grew fiercer and more relentless.
“Uahahahaha! You’re nothing but a rat!”
Thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!
Jegal Jiyong barely blocked the onslaught, stumbling backward in a daze.
His hands and head were spinning.
He could feel himself on the verge of collapse.
His heart sank deeper.
If he fell here, his niece Jegal Seoyul would be finished too.
No, she would suffer an even worse fate than him.
That horrifying future was vivid before his eyes.
His eyes filled with despair.
‘Is this how it ends?’
Then—
“Ki-hahahahaha!”
Suddenly, a strange, eerie laughter echoed from somewhere.
The chilling sound made everyone’s heads spin slightly.
All eyes in the battle turned toward the source of the laughter.
From beyond the wall, a pale-faced figure clad in blue flew in like a shooting star.
He laughed again, shouting,
“Ki-hahahaha! The greatest villains of Guizhou! The Azure-Red Twin Swords have arrived!”
It was the pale-faced blue-clad fiend, making his first appearance since the Sichuan campaign.